Skip to main content

Biden Administration Gives Funding Boost to Help Curb Suicides

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 28, 2023 -- The Biden administration is allocating $232.2 million in grants to help stem suicides and improve behavioral health care for at-risk groups.

Suicide is happening at an "alarming" rate, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Last year alone, nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide, up 2.6 percent from 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About $200 million of the grant will be used to build local capacity for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and related crisis services. The national suicide hotline was revamped last year with a three-digit number to make it easier to recall in a crisis.

"September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. During this month, we are reminded that suicide is preventable, and no one should go through a suicide-related crisis alone," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in an agency news release, emphasizing that the Biden administration "is deeply committed to tackling the mental health challenges facing America, and particularly focused on addressing the alarming rates of suicide."

In all, $177 million is targeted to improvements in technology and security, as well as hiring and training crisis counselors. Another $18.3 million will be used to improve response to 988 contacts from American Indian or Alaska Native populations, including what HHS described as "culturally competent" support. An additional $5 million is targeted for follow-up with those who have called for help.

Other funds are earmarked to foster improved coordination between call center staffers and emergency services operators, with an aim of reducing the burden on police. Funding for suicide prevention efforts aimed at college-age people, older adults, and those who live in rural areas is also included. Those in rural areas often have more access to guns.

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Mental Disorders May Be Transmitted Within Teen Peer Networks

FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 -- Mental disorders may be transmitted within an adolescent peer network, according to a study published online May 22 in JAMA Psychiatry. Jussi Alho, Ph.D...

Parental Legal System Involvement Linked to Adverse Child Mental Health

THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 -- Parental legal system involvement may negatively impact child mental health, according to a study published online May 23 in Pediatrics. Lilian G...

U-Shaped Link Detected Between Adolescent BMI and Mental Health

FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 -- There is a U-shaped association between adolescent body mass index (BMI) and mental health, according to a study published online May 15 in JAMA...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.